Davis stays hot as O's down Rays

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St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Chris Davis hit a two-run homer and
knocked in four runs, helping the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays,
6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Davis homered in every game of the series and went 7-for-11 with 11 RBI for
the Orioles, who got a two-run homer from J.J. Hardy. Adam Jones went 3-for-5
with two runs scored.

"I feel comfortable in the box," Davis said. "We've had a few runners on when
I'm up at the plate, which is always fun cause if you get a hit, those guys
are going to score."

Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits over 6
1/3 innings. The right-hander went 9-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 18 games last
season.

The news was not all good for Baltimore, which lost second baseman Brian
Roberts to a hamstring injury in the top of the ninth inning. Roberts hurt
his right hamstring while sliding headfirst into second on a stolen base.
Roberts was unable to put any pressure on his right leg as he was helped off
the field.

Evan Longoria, Jose Molina and James Loney had an RBI apiece for the Rays, who
saw starter Roberto Hernandez (0-1) give up four runs on six hits over 6 2/3
innings. The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez fanned seven
and walked two.

The Orioles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second. Jones led off the frame
with a single and scored on Davis' blast to right-center field.

"It's just unbelievable," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Davis' success in
the series. "You throw anything up there and he's going to hit it hard
somewhere. I've never quite seen him like that."

After failing to record a hit through four innings, Tampa Bay hit four singles
in the fifth. Longoria led off with a single to center and moved to second two
batters later on Yunel Escobar's single that deflected off Gonzalez's shin.
Loney and Molina followed with consecutive RBI singles to make it a 2-2 game.
Ryan Roberts grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Baltimore scored twice in the sixth to take the lead back. Nick Markakis
walked and advanced to second on Jones' single. Davis knocked in both runners
with a double to left-center field, making it 4-2.

Hardy's homer in the eighth gave the Orioles some breathing room. Matt Wieters
hit a two-out single and scored on Hardy's blast to left.

An odd play highlighted the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez
was hit by a pitch and Ben Zobrist singled to put men on first and second with
no outs. Jim Johnson entered the game to face Longoria, who hit a run-scoring
single off the wall in left-center field. On the play, Zobrist held up at
first to see if the ball was going to be caught. In the process, Longoria
apparently passed Zobrist on the basepaths. Longoria was called out and
Zobrist ended up at third.

Shelley Duncan and Loney popped out to give Johnson his second save of the
season.

Game Notes

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Davis joins Frank Robinson (in 1966) as the
only players with home runs in each of the first three games of the season for
the Orioles/Browns franchise since 1920 ... Hernandez was signed by the Rays
in December after pitching only three games last season with the Cleveland
Indians due to visa issues.

Evan Longoria singled to left-center scoring Sean Rodriguez. On the play, Ben Zobrist advances to third. Also on the play, Longoria was called out for overrunning Ben Zobrist on the basebath, first unassisted. Runner on third with one out and Shelley Duncan due up.